"Spotlight on Seattle offers a showcase for a dozen choreographers and is a great way to catch up on what's happening here. Tuesday's program was curated by Erin Boberg Doughton of Portland's PICA/Time Based Arts Festival.

The evening closer, Jürg Koch's "meanwhile: in Seattle," was more satisfying. Six dancers created their own score with FM radios, changing stations at designated moments. As Koch explained after the show, they knew when they'd be hitting a classical, rock, jazz or talk-radio station, but had no idea what would be on them.

"meanwhile" had its highlights, especially in a fluid, athletic duet between Roxanne Foster and Rachel Grant. It's amazing what a little synchronicity can do. The piece closed, all too aptly, with the instrumental opening to David Bowie's "Changes," quickly switched to a man asking, "OK, so how long will it take the eggs, once they're under Anastasia, to hatch?" No way to duplicate that — ever." Michael Upchurch, The Seattle Times

Restaged for the Spotlight on Seattle series as part of the Seattle International Dance Festival meanwhile: in Seattle was developed and set as part of the Bridge Project residency at the Velocity Dance Center in January 2011.

The piece was initially created in 2010 in Durban, South Africa with the Flatfoot Dance Company. A range of local radio stations are used to generate a unique soundscore for each performance. Special Thanks to the dancers in South Africa and in Seattle, Lliane Loots, Shannon Stewart and the Velocity Dance Center, the University of Washington Dance Program and the UW Junior Faculty Development.

jurg koch dance

bio

Born in Switzerland Jürg has been working internationally as a performer, choreographer and dance educator for the past fifteen years. He trained dance in Amsterdam and London gaining an MA at the London Contemporary Dance School.

Working with Candoco integrating disabled and non-disabled performers and dancing in contemporary repertory including works by Bill T Jones, Javier de Frutos and Fin Walker informs Jürg’s artistic and pedagogic outlook.

In January 2004 he joined the faculty in the Dance Program at the University of Washington as a lecturer. He was appointed Assistant Professor in 2008 and promoted to Associate Professor in 2014. He currently lives and works from Bern, Switzerland.

As a performer Koch has been a company member of Diversions Dance Company, Wales UK, and Candoco Dance Company, London. In Seattle Koch has regularly appeared as a guest artist for the Chamber Dance Company and in contemporary works by Mark Haim.

Koch’s choreographic work spans from solo repertoire (The Printer’s Tray) to community ensembles (the workshop, The Rite of Spring) and collaborations with new media artists (David Prior, Iole Alessandrini, Lyn Goeringer). Jürg’s works have been performed in the U.S., Europe and South Africa, at the Northwest New Works Festival, The Bridge Project and the Seattle International Dance Festival.

As an educator Jürg focuses on contemporary dance technique and composition. He has a specialized interest in Integrated Dance and creating access to training and choreographic content for a diversity of participants. He is the organizer of the Integrated Dance Summer Intensive in Seattle.